Rollerskating venture begins recruiting staff

A ROLLERSKATING rink, skate park and indoor play centre in Bury St Edmunds has begun recruiting staff as its opening date nears.

CurveMotion, in Lamdin Road, is due to open late March and will create about 40 new full and part-time jobs – it is also set to boast the biggest indoor soft play area in East Anglia.

The project has already been dubbed the new Rollerbury – but CurveMotion spokeswoman Sarah Stamp said it would have more to offer different age ranges.

“There is something very nostalgic about Rollerbury that people keep coming back to. This is going to be a different offer to Rollerbury. It is adding to that experience,” she said.

“I think it is going to be a huge hit. There is a huge buzz around it. It is just a way for people to keep fit and for families to spend some time together having fun.”

Building work is under way on the new indoor centre, which is being constructed across a 20,440sqft site previously occupied by four business units which had stood empty ever since they were built four years ago.

Sarah said: “There will be disco skating sessions for all ages, split by different ages groups at different times, skate ramps, a soft play area for the under 12s, including a sensory area for babies and toddlers.

“The soft play area will be the largest that the region has to offer at the moment and as part of that there will be mega-slides that are suitable for adults as well.

“There will also be a cafe/ restaurant and a party area. It is really something for everyone so families can enjoy a day out together.”

Anticipation is building for the new facility – Bury has not had a permanent skating centre since Rollerbury closed in 2001 just months after owners revealed plans to turn it into a health and fitness studio.

In 1988 Rollerbury was the largest rollerskating rink in Britain and it was used by British artistic rollerskating champiion Neil Emms for training. Nearly 4,000 people are members of a Facebook group called I was a Rollerbury Kid.

Now it is the turn of CurveMotion and excitement is gathering about its launch. Close to 1,000 people are following news of the new facility on Facebook.

One member, Kirsty Sharman, said: “Are you telling me that skating has come back to bezza. Omg I spent my whole childhood at Rollerbury and have waited for this for years. Hell yeah we love to skate.”

Another, Rachel Tolton Hawkins, said: “So excited, I worked at Rollerbury for years and was so skinny from skating haha wonder if I can get back to how I was.”

As part of the build up to its opening, CurveMotion, held a number of skating events last year at the Abbeycroft Leisure Centre. The most recent, just before Christmas and was attended by more than 120 people.

One of them, Rob Day, said: “It’s great to have skating in Bury again and great to see many familiar faces from the past, this time with children too.”

The firm is looking for a general manager, duty managers, catering staff, DJs, skating stewards and customer service advisers.